“I think it’s important that you use more than one running back,” Shurmur said. “It’s a long season, and a guy can run out of gas quickly.

“If you have guys who are different, you can use them in different ways, and you try to play to their strengths. I think that’s important.”

Head coach Chip Kelly frequently relied on multiple running backs during his tenure at Oregon. Kelly had at least two players with more than 90 carries a season in each of his four years as head coach of the Ducks. Last season, running backs Kenjon Barner, De’Anthony Thomas and Byron Marshall and quarterback Marcus Mariota all had at least 87 carries a piece for Oregon.

Both McCoy and Brown each carried the ball over 100 times last season for the Eagles. It was the first time since 2003 when Shurmur was the Eagles quarterbacks coach that Philadelphia accomplished that feat. In between, McCoy and Brian Westbrook had been relied on to take the majority of the carries for the Eagles.

this seems odd considering how shurmur ran Trent Richardson into the ground last year.

pabrownsfan says:Feb 13, 2013 5:41 AM

Thats strange. he played Trent Richardson 90% of the snaps playing with broken ribs all year.

mustbechris says:Feb 13, 2013 6:53 AM

for what it’s worth, the Eagles ran a three back set in the EARLY days of Reid’s tenure featuring the Duce Staley/Brian Westbrook/Correll Buckhalter “three headed monster” set. for whatever reason, Reid started running his 1st string runningbacks pretty exclusively after Duce left, and often kept little depth at running back behind Westbrook – especially in the several seasons Buckhalter missed due to injury. This has long been a point of contention for Eagles fans with Reid – specifically, fans always clamored for a power back to complement smallish and speedy Westbrook and now McCoy. Bryce is the first such back we’ve really ever had. Figures he gets drafted in Reid’s final season.

In shirt: this will be a very welcome change.

mustbechris says:Feb 13, 2013 6:55 AM

I have to wonder how often we will see Desean Jackson running the ball given his self-comparison to DeAnthony Thomas. I could see him used much more like the Vikings use Percy Harvin than we’ve seen in the past.

A balanced offense (something Andy & Marty never subscribed too) is just the new offense needs. McCoy and Brown will be a great one two punch, provided Brown learns how to hold onto he ball. Something Duce Staley needs to make priority one.

mp4philly says:Feb 13, 2013 8:28 AM

The eagles never employed a one back system until recently. Early in Reid’s tenure they used two backs with Garner and Staley. At one point the even used three backs with Staley, Buckhalter and Westbrook in ’03.

He can use 12 backs it won’t matter at all, if one of the backs keeps coughing up the ball, along with the QB! So let me get this straight, you keep vick who was responsible for 2.3 turnovers a game (A GAME) which invariably leads to at LEAST 6 losses, not to mention a depleted and pissed off defense, then you want to FEATURE a second back, in a guy who had on average, 1.5 turnovers per game. If I were shady, I would be pissed, becuase he will never see the ball, save for 1st and 10! IF he doesn’t score, they are screwed, because the odds are greater they will turn over the ball then get off another play! BTW….they should get rid of Shady now, while he still has value, SERIOUSLY before you hate….are we two years away from a superbowl? NO! Is Shady (who has a concussion under his belt and is already under-sized) 2 years away from being the next guy out? YES! Get value for him now, so the next coach has some good draft picks! FIRE KELLY NOW!

Someone better let Chip Kelly know the NFL has a 53 man roster. He still thinks it will be college football where he had 100 players on the sideline. I hear the Eagles will be playing their games next year on Saturdays.